<?php
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$xhtml = array(
	'<{title}>' => 'Consumer ethics',
	'<{subtitle}>' => 'Written in <span title="English Composition 2">ENGL 1102</span> by <a href="https://y.st./">Alex Yst</a>, finalised on 2018-02-28',
	'<{copyright year}>' => '2018',
	'takedown' => '2017-11-01',
	'<{body}>' => <<<END
<p>
	Note: Being limited to using sources from the library provided by the university&apos;s partner site this week, finding sources to cite for a paper on why we as consumers need to choose what companies we buy from wisely to promote ethical behaviour in corporations has proven impossible, at least given our short amount of time.
	Instead, I&apos;ve had expand my focus this week.
	Seeing as corporations are funded by their customers, we shouldn&apos;t need a source specifically telling us that if enough customers stop buying from a corporation due to its unethical behaviour, it will be forced to either improve its ways or close down, either of which will aid in creating a more ethical world in which we can all be happy.
	As for specific cases, I know of several articles to cite, but none of them are in that library.
	Even with this broader focus though, the provided library doesn&apos;t have much on the topic.
	Being required to use the library, I couldn&apos;t find anything supportive of my chosen topic.
	Given the limitations placed on us, this was the best I could do.
	It&apos;s additionally worth noting that while the school is partnered with two different libraries, one of them&apos;s been giving me an error message all week, so I&apos;ve only had access to one of the two libraries.
</p>
<img src="/img/CC_BY-SA_4.0/y.st./coursework/ENG1102/library_error_message.png" alt="Library error message" class="framed-centred-image" width="681" height="586"/>
<p>
	Currently, at least in the United States, the prevailing vision of capitalism is one in which the market regulates itself.
	In this model, it&apos;s not what&apos;s good for society or the people that triumphs, but what is good for the pocketbook of the already-rich.
	This isn&apos;t what the market should be though.
	A better alternative has been theorised, one of a morality-driven market; a moral economy (Block, 2006).
	The market doesn&apos;t seem to be moving in this direction, and it&apos;s due primarily to consumers.
	We, as consumers, determine how corporations act.
	When we buy from a given company, we&apos;re telling that company it&apos;s okay to continue behaving as they do.
	We need to pay attention to what we&apos;re supporting; after all, we&apos;re supporting it whether we realise it or not.
	Shouldn&apos;t we try to improve the world by coaxing the powerful who make a difference, the corporations, into moving the world in a positive direction?
	The alternative, of course, is to reward them for their greed and lack of morality.
	There is zero middle ground.
	By not taking an interest, you actively promote corporate evil; <strong>*you*</strong> are the villain!
</p>
<p>
	A free market should not be mistaken as a free-for-all market (Godbole, 2002), which is what corporations here in the United States often seek to turn it into.
	A great example of this is the recent net neutrality issues.
	Corporations seek to royally screw customers by eliminating vital regulations on how they conduct business.
	With net neutrality eliminated, $a[ISP]s will be allowed to double charge, charging both their customers <strong>*and*</strong> companies trying to do business with their customers.
	Companies refusing to pay what amounts to a legal equivalent of mafia bribe money won&apos;t be able to reach customers.
	Small businesses will wither and die.
	Competition will be eliminated, which is never good for consumers.
	What if those regulations didn&apos;t matter though?
	What if <strong>*we as consumers*</strong> refused to do business with companies that were less than ethical; that let greed get the better of them?
	We have that power, and we <strong>*definitely*</strong> have that responsibility.
	It falls on us when we let companies get away with this.
</p>
<div class="APA_references">
	<h2>References:</h2>
	<p>
		Block, F. (2006). A Corporation with a Conscience? New Labor Forum, 15(2), 74-83. Retrieved from <a href="http://www.jstor.org/stable/40342623"><code>http://www.jstor.org/stable/40342623</code></a>
	</p>
	<p>
		Godbole, M. (2002). Corporate Governance: Myth and Reality. Economic and Political Weekly, 37(30), 3094-3102. Retrieved from <a href="http://www.jstor.org/stable/4412405"><code>http://www.jstor.org/stable/4412405</code></a>
	</p>
</div>
END
);
